Research
·
2022
·
IF 11.036
Baoyi Wu,Yaoting Xue,Israt Ali,Huanhuan Lu,Yuming Yang,Xuxu Yang,Wei Lu,Yinfei Zheng,Tao Chen
Natural locomotion such as walking, crawling, and swimming relies on spatially controlled deformation of soft tissues, which could allow efficient interaction with the external environment. As one of the ideal candidates for biomimetic materials, hydrogels can exhibit versatile bionic morphings. However, it remains an enormous challenge to transfer these in situ deformations to locomotion, particularly above complex terrains. Herein, inspired by the crawling mode of inchworms, an isotropic hydrogel with thermoresponsiveness could evolve to an anisotropic hydrogel actuator via interfacial diffusion polymerization, further evolving to multisection structure and exhibiting adaptive deformation with diverse degrees of freedom. Therefore, a dynamic mortise-and-tenon interlock could be generated through the interaction between the self-deformation of the hydrogel actuator and rough terrains, inducing continual multidimensional locomotion on various artificial rough substrates and natural sandy terrain. Interestingly, benefiting from the powerful mechanical energy transfer capability, the crawlable hydrogel actuators could also be utilized as hydrogel motors to activate static cargos to overstep complex terrains, which exhibit the potential application of a biomimetic mechanical discoloration device. Therefore, we believe that this design principle and control strategy may be of potential interest to the field of deformable materials, soft robots, and biomimetic devices.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
仿生学
·
软体机器人
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
Advanced Science
·
2025
·
IF 14.1
Siwei Hu,Kexing Li,Weijia Nong,Zhong-Wen Liu,Zhao-Tie Liu,Yanhu Zhan,Jinqiang Jiang,Peng Yang,Guo Li
Magneto-driven soft robots featuring remote and highly permeable controllability are considered promising, especially in biomedical and engineering applications. However, there is still lack of a high-precision method to regulate the distribution of magnetic fillers in polymer substrates, which severely limits the improvement of the actuating functionality. This work provides a photo-regulatable method to develop soft robots with locally distributed magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Solvent-casted polyvinyl alcohol/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose film is prepared as the substrate, and Fe 3+ ions are introduced to coordinate with carboxylate groups by surface treatment. Two processes, photo-reduction of Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ ions and the hydrolytic reaction of the two ions, are sequentially combined to in situ generate magnetic Fe 3 O 4 particles. Spatiotemporal control of UV light irradiation determines the Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ ratio and, therefore the amount of generated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles that decide magnetic field, NIR light, and moisture responsive actuating functionalities. Moreover, the external geometry of the composite can be tuned by inducing the formation of Al 3+ -carboxylate coordinates for strain retention, which enables shape programming of the composite to exhibit complex 3D–3D actuating behaviors. The proposed method enables the design and preparation of soft robots with spatially tunable magnetism and more advanced actuating behaviors.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
生物医学工程
·
机器人学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Advanced Materials Technologies
·
2018
·Vol. 4
·期 1
·1800366
·
IF 4.622
Yuanyuan Yang,Mei Zhang,Dengfeng Li,Yajing Shen
As a kind of reptile that can move in a sophisticated environment by periodic changes in body shape, a snake's locomotion mode has inspired the design of several novel robots. Yet, most of those conventional robots are constructed by rigid components and powered by electricity. Herein, a novel snake-inspired soft robot by fabricating triple-layer reduced graphene oxide and polydopamine is reported. Such soft material is capable of bidirectional deformation while near-infrared (NIR) light is projected at different regions. It allows the robot to move continuously by periodically changing body shape on demand without external forces or torques. The designed robot can achieve two locomotion modes like a snake, i.e., concertina locomotion and serpentine locomotion modes, corresponding to external NIR light stimulation. It paves a new way for the fabrication and control of soft robot which can be applied to medical treatment, rescue operation, and so on in the future.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
仿生学
·
机器人技术
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2023
·
IF 9.5
Xueqi Li,Ziqiang Shang,Yaoxing Wang,Jiuqing Liu,Yanjun Xie,Jian Li,Yiqi Liu,Wentao Gan
Magnetic soft robots composed of stimuli-responsive materials are promising for biomedical engineering applications; however, typical responsive materials are fabricated with nondegradable polymeric substrates. In this study, we report a flexible, biodegradable, and magnetically sensitive cellulose film (M-film) that can be utilized for magnetically controllable soft robots (M-robots) with programmable locomotion, cargo delivery, and remote wireless operation functions. The M-film with good foldability, origami, and magnetic properties is synthesized by a simple paper-making process using cellulose nanofibers, additive sodium alginate, and BaFe12O19 particles. Through the following origami–magnetization process, the M-robot with multimodal movements is designed: climbing over the obstacles in the walking environment; additionally, this process can complete various cargo transport tasks by clawing, rolling, and flipping. This approach expands the precise controllability and manipulability of environmentally friendly cellulose nanomaterials beyond the known applications and opens the prospects of their implementation in stimuli-responsive robots, wireless control electronics, and intelligent devices.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
生物医学工程
·
机器人学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Droplet
·
2025
·
IF 9.1
Yutong Wang,Shenghao Yang,Chonglei Hao,Binhong Dou,Lei Zhang,Yongle Feng,Shichuan Wang,Fuzhou Niu,Ran Tao,Sen Wang,Bing Li,Zuankai Wang
Soft robots based on stimuli-responsive materials, such as those responsive to thermal, magnetic, or light stimuli, hold great potential for adaptive locomotion and multifunctionality in complex environments. Among these, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and magnetic microparticles have emerged as particularly promising candidates, leveraging their thermal responsiveness and magnetic controllability, respectively. However, integrating these modes to achieve synergistic multimodal actuation remains a significant challenge. Here, we present the thermo-magnetic petal morphing robot, which combines LCEs with embedded magnetic microparticles to enable reversible shape morphing via remote light-to-thermal actuation and high-speed rolling locomotion under external magnetic fields. The robot can achieve rapid deformation under near-infrared light, transitioning from a closed spherical to an open cross-like configuration with consistent shape recovery across multiple cycles, and demonstrates a maximum locomotion speed of 30 body lengths per second, outperforming many state-of-the-art soft robots. Moreover, the robot's performance remains robust across dry, wet, and underwater conditions, with adjustable magnetic particle concentrations allowing tunable actuation performance. Our work addresses the need for soft robots with enhanced versatility and adaptability in complex environments, paving the way for applications in areas such as targeted drug delivery and industrial material handling.
研究领域:
机器人技术
·
材料科学
·
生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Nano
·
2025
·
IF 16
Leilei Chen,Hengao Yu,Jilan Yang,Jinzhuo Shi,Chun-he Li,Zijie Qu,Wendong Wang
Ferrofluids are stable colloidal dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles in carrier liquids. Their combination of magnetic and fluidic characteristics not only inspires fundamental inquiries into forms and functions of matter but also enables diverse applications ranging from sealants and coolants in mechanical devices to active components in smart materials and soft robots. Spurred by such fundamental and applied interests, a growing need for easy-to-synthesize, high-quality ferrofluid exists. Here, we report the facile synthesis and comprehensive characterization of a silicone oil-based ferrofluid that displays the characteristic surface instability of high-quality ferrofluids and demonstrate its functions in smart interfacial materials and soft robots. Silicone’s chemical immiscibility with polar solvents and its biological inertness, when coupled with magnetic responsiveness and fluidic deformability, enable the manipulation of solid particles, gas bubbles, simple and complex liquids, as well as micro-organisms. We envision that the silicone oil-based ferrofluid will find applications in diverse areas, including magnetic digital microfluidics, multifunctional materials, and small-scale robotics.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
化学工程
·
机器人学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ADVANCED MATERIALS
·
2025
·
IF 26.8
Xiaofei Li,Yiming Du,Xiaoshuan Pan,Chao Xiao,Xin Ding,Kang Zheng,Xianglan Liu,Lin Chen,Yi Gong,Meng Xue,Xingyou Tian,Xian Zhang
Asymmetric-expansion photothermal actuators have attracted the attention of researchers owing to their simple structure, superior stability, rapid response, and precise controllability. However, their response speed, deformation capacity, and load-carrying capacity are mutually constrained by their thickness. Inspired by the veins and pulp in plant leaves, this study uses laser etching to apply a superstructure of ordered grooves to liquid metal (LM) photothermal actuators. The resulting LM@low-expansion polyimide (4.52 ppm K −1 )/polydimethylsiloxane (LM@PI/PDMS) programmable photothermal actuators demonstrate exceptional performance, including a load-carrying capacity of 190 times their weight, a rapid oscillation frequency of 19 Hz, a response speed of 60.96 ± 3.08°/ s, and a bending angle of 159.05 ± 2.52°. Hence, the proposed design resolves the inherent conflict between the load-carrying capacity and response speed. Furthermore, incorporating LM microspheres into actuators increases their stability and allows them to endure more than 20 800 cycles without damage. The actuators are used to create versatile smart devices and robots, such as photothermally actuated robotic dogs that can function across various terrains. This study provides a novel strategy for the design and fabrication of programmable photothermal actuators and highlights their potential for applications in advanced robotics, which paves the way for their integration into complex environments.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
机器人学
·
生物仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
·
2025
·Vol. 11
·期 1
·1-10
·
IF 9.9
Zhou Yexi,Zhao Yu,Zhao Dazhe,Guan Xiao,Zhang Kaijun,Pi Yucong,Zhong Junwen
Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics. Herein, we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integrated sensing and actuating performances. The actuating layer, made of p(NIPAm-HEMA), features an open pore structure, enabling it to achieve 58% volume shrinkage in just 8 s. The customizable heater allows for efficient programmable deformation of the actuating layer. A strain-responsive hydrogel layer, with a linear response of up to 50% strain, is designed to sense the deformation process. Leveraging these actuating and sensing capabilities, we develop an integrated hydrogel muscle that can recognize lifted objects with various weights or grasped objects of different sizes. Furthermore, we demonstrate a self-crawling robot to showcase the application potential of the hydrogel muscle for soft robots working in aquatic environments. This robot, featuring a modular distributed sensing and actuating layer, can autonomously move forward under closed-loop control based on self-detected resistance signals. The strategy of modular distributed stimuli-responsive sensing and actuating materials offers unprecedented capabilities for creating smart and multifunctional soft robotics.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
软体机器人
·
智能材料
·
生物仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Advanced Intelligent Systems
·
2021
·Vol. 4
·期 1
·2100139
·
IF 0
Bonan Sun,Rong Jia,Hang Yang,Xi Chen,Kai Tan,Qian Deng,Jingda Tang
Magnetically driven small-scale soft robots are promising for applications in biomedicine, due to their fast, programmable deformation, and remote, untethered actuation to accomplish complicated tasks. Although diverse materials and designs have been proposed for magnetic soft robots with programmable shape transformation, it is still challenging to produce strong actuation by a small magnetic field. Inspired by arthropod species, magnetic soft millirobots with joint structures by 3D printing hydrogels have been developed. The joints can turn the bending deformation into the folding deformation, with the jointed region deforming locally. Different from homogeneous bending deformation, such local deformation allows larger motions of robots and reduces the overall energy consumption at the same time. Through experiments and numerical simulations, it is shown that the magnetic arthropod millirobots are capable of performing multimodal locomotion and programmed shape transformation, such as move, flip, catch, carry, and release. Finally, ex vivo experiments of removing a foreign object from porcine organs (e.g., aorta, stomach, and intestine) are presented to demonstrate the potential surgery application of magnetic arthropod millirobots.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
·
机器人学
·
材料科学
✓ 已验证
DOI
ACS Nano
·
2020
·
IF 14.588
Xiangyu Duan,Jingyi Yu,Yaxun Zhu,Zhiqiang Zheng,Qihua Liao,Yukun Xiao,Yuanyuan Li,Zipan He,Yang Zhao,Huaping Wang,Liangti Qu
Efforts to impart responsiveness to environmental stimuli in artificial hydrogel fibers are crucial to intelligent, shape-memory electronics and weavable soft robots. However, owing to the vulnerable mechanical property, poor processability, and the dearth of scalable assembly protocols, such functional hydrogel fibers are still far from practical usage. Herein, we demonstrate an approach toward the continuous fabrication of an electro-responsive hydrogel fiber by using the self-lubricated spinning (SLS) strategy. The polyelectrolyte inside the hydrogel fiber endows it with a fast electro-response property. After solvent exchange with triethylene glycol (TEG), the maximum tensile strength of the hydrogel fiber increases from 114 kPa to 5.6 MPa, far superior to those hydrogel fiber-based actuators reported previously. Consequently, the flexible and mechanical stable hydrogel fiber is knitted into various complex geometries on demand such as a crochet flower, triple knot, thread tube, pentagram, and hollow cage. Additionally, the electrochemical-responsive ionic hydrogel fiber is capable of acting as soft robots underwater to mimic biological motions, such as Mobula-like flapping, jellyfish-mimicking grabbing, sea worm-mimicking multi-degree of freedom movements, and human finger-like smart gesturing. This work not only demonstrates an example for the large-scale production of previous infeasible hydrogel fibers, but also provides a solution for the rational design and fabrication of hydrogel woven intelligent devices.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
智能设备
·
生物仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Biomimetics
·
2023
·Vol. 8
·期 4
·379
·
IF 4.5
Wenlong Pan,Chongyi Gao,Chen Zhu,Yabing Yang,Lin Xu
Fruit fly larvae, which exist widely in nature, achieve peristaltic motion via the contraction and elongation of their bodies and the asymmetric friction generated by the front and rear parts of their bodies when they are in contact with the ground. Herein, we report the development of an untethered, magnetic, temperature-sensitive hydrogel-based soft robot that mimics the asymmetric micro-patterns of fruit-fly-larvae gastropods and utilizes cyclic deformation to achieve directional peristaltic locomotion. Due to Néel relaxation losses of nanomagnetic Fe3O4particles, the hydrogel-based soft robot is capable of converting changes in external alternating magnetic stimuli into contracting and expanding deformation responses which can be remotely controlled via a high-frequency alternating magnetic field (AMF) to realize periodic actuation. Furthermore, the Fe3O4particles included in the hydrogel-based soft robot cause it to follow a gradient magnetic field in confined liquid environments and can be coupled with AMFs for the targeted release of water-soluble drugs or targeted magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT). We believe that such a controlled motion can enable highly targeted drug delivery, as well as vascular disease detection and thrombus removal tasks, without the use of invasive procedures.Keywords:magnetic;temperature-sensitive hydrogel;untethered soft robot;bionic gastropod;gradient magnetic field
研究领域:
生物医学工程
·
材料科学
·
仿生学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Nature Communications
·
2024
·Vol. 15
·期 1
·1-12
·
IF 14.7
Guo Kexin,Yang Xuehan,Zhou Chao,Li Chuang
Environmentally adaptive hydrogels that are capable of reconfiguration in response to external stimuli have shown great potential toward bioinspired actuation and soft robotics. Previous efforts have focused mainly on either the sophisticated design of heterogeneously structured hydrogels or the complex manipulation of external stimuli, and achieving self-regulated reversal shape deformation in homogenous hydrogels under a constant stimulus has been challenging. Here, we report the molecular design of structurally homogenous hydrogels containing simultaneously two spiropyrans that exhibit self-regulated transient deformation reversal when subjected to constant illumination. The deformation reversal mechanism originates from the molecular sequential descending-ascending charge variation of two coexisting spiropyrans upon irradiation, resulting in a macroscale volumetric contraction-expansion of the hydrogels. Hydrogel film actuators were developed to display complex temporary bidirectional shape transformations and self-regulated reversal rolling under constant illumination. Our work represents an innovative strategy for programming complex shape transformations of homogeneous hydrogels using a single constant stimulus.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
软体机器人
·
高分子化学
·
生物力学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）